Life begins at 30... And why I love it that way.

Life begins at 30*. I've heard this so often lately, mostly because I am, in fact, 30, along with the majority of my peers. It seems a natural time for us all to reflect. As I approach 31 in less than two weeks, I can say that the first year of my thirties was a delightful surprise; it had its difficulties, but overall, quite good. And though I can't speak for myself 9 or 10 years from now (that next big birthday) I know a few certain things about life up to this point. I can't explain how it happens, but the waters start to run clear.

This time last year, I was convinced it was all over. In those cold November days leading up to my 30th birthday, I was overcome with anxiety. My biggest fear was this (as I remember telling my dad over the phone one grief-stricken evening): "Everything that I ever thought I would've done by the time I turned 30 I haven't done. I never planned my life beyond that." I was terrified. Life after my twenties was a complete and utter blank.

The anxiety I was dealing with had less to do with all of the things I hadn't done-- all that stuff that most people do right out of high school and college, the "normal" stuff that all of your friends post about as "life events" on their Facebook timeline. It wasn't so much about having regrets. My twenties were fantastic-- I traveled a lot, I fell in love, I started working on my dreams...

Your twenties are like a decade-long experiment in figuring out what works and what doesn't.

Looking back, it was all discovery and preparation.

But as the day approached, I felt like I was standing in front of a giant white wall with neither a door to open nor even a window to peek through. I knew that God-given opportunities lay ahead, but I had zero vision for my life.

Now I know, with all certainty, that there is so much more to do and so much more to be.

When I say that life begins at 30, I'm talking more about the intangible stuff. The stuff of knowing who you are, of knowing what's worth fighting for, of seeing things objectively, of setting new goals, of being comfortable in your ever-so-slightly-wrinkled (even-if-others-can't-see-it-but-you-definitely-can) beautiful skin, of knowing your opinion matters not only because you matter but because you have lived, because you survived your twenties!! And perhaps what I love most of all is how life begins at 30, when the true dreams of your life- the ones you didn't even know you had- are finally within reach.

*This post is not based on science. Results may vary. :)